Day 6 Behavioral Adaptations- Migration Materials: interactive notebooks, pencils, map for projector, a copy of the same map for each student to keep and paste in notebook Objectives: Students will: define behavioral adaptation learn why migration is important to animals learn that a monarch butterfly migrates from Canada and North America to Mexico trace the migration route of the monarch butterfly
Tell the students that we are going to learn about behavioral adaptations for the next few days. Behavioral adaptations are the way an animal behaves to ensure survival. Behavioral adaptations include migration, hibernation, and living in groups. Today we're going to focus on migration. Ask students if they know what migration means? Migration is a seasonal or annual journey over a long distance. Why migrate? Some animals migrate to find warmth and food. Some animals migrate to reproduce. Today we're going to learn about the migration of the monarch butterfly. Start off with this great National Geographic migration video for children. Tell the students that butterflies migrate south when the weather gets cold in Canada and North America. Provide each student with a map of North America and Mexico. Show the same map on the projector and together, trace the monarch's route South to Mexico. Have the students glue the map on the right side of their notebook. On the left side have the students list 3 facts that they learned about the monarch butterfly today. Wrap up the lesson by reading the poem "The Monarch Butterfly" by Douglas Flourian.